Commissioners review community events

Add to coroner’s budget, meet with local leaders

Organizers of Growl Gallery were commended by the Meigs County Commissioners for their fundraising success.

POMEROY — The Meigs County Board of Commissioners consulted with community action groups and unique appropriations distinguished the financial agenda items during the May 26 meeting.

The Morgan’s Raid Re-thienactment Committee received the third and final payment of $5,000 toward their September historical event.

The committee’s stated goal is “to provide greater knowledge and understanding of local Civil War history not only for people in Meigs County, but surrounding states as well,” by re-enacting the Battle of Buffington Island.

The board made disbursements in 2014 and 2015 in the same amounts, a significant sum of funding to assist the logistical challenge of portraying Ohio’s only Civil War battle.

Commissioner Tim Ihle spoke briefly on a second appropriation oddity, a $1,000 coroner’s line item and $20,000 autopsies. The county has paid for seven autopsies in April, and 16 since January.

Ihle said the county government pays for the procedure when there are suspicious or questionable circumstances, and the drug epidemic has led to an increased number of deaths which fit those parameters.

“That number is alarming and we hope next month it slows drastically,” he said.

The extra funds are to offset the unusual burden on the coroner’s office.

Bills were paid in the amount of $22,899.35 of a total $332,846.38 and Now & Thens were paid in the amount of $5452.00 to Bob Lane’s Welding.

The May 21 Clean Up Day at the fairgrounds was declared a resounding success, as “civic groups, churches, the banks, health department, pretty much everybody showed up to help,” Ihle said. “We don’t have stats at this moment, but they are certain to be impressive.”

“One hundred and fifty was the tentative count (referring to volunteers),” said Commissioner Randy Smith.

Every receptacle was filled and extra piles created to be ferried away later in the afternoon. The event was held open an extra hour to accommodate the flow of drop-offs.

The commissioners said they were discussing a similar event for chemical clean-up later in the year due to publicly expressed interest.